Corn harvester



J. L. AASLND CORN HARVESTER Filed Nov. 22, 1943 Aug. so, ma.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CORN HARVESTER John L. Aasland, Moline, lll., asslgnor to International Harvester Company, a corporation o! New Jersey Application November z2, 1943, serai No. 511,261

' 5 Claims. (Ci. 5ft-'119) i 2 This invention relates to a corn harvester. In the drawings, the corn harvester, it will be Conventional corn harvesters of the snapper understood, includes the usual framework, not type comprise a machine having a passageway shown, which provides a stalk passageway I in through which the standing stalks in a field pass which is disposed a pair of parallel, longitudinally as the machine travels along. In this passage- 6 and rearwardly and upwardly inclined rolls II, way is usually disposed a pair of oppositely rowhich, as shown in Figure 2, rotate oppositely tating snapping rolls arranged longitudinally and in the direction indicated by the arrows in that spaced apart to receive the stalks and pull them figure. On opposite sides of the passageway I0, downwardly through the rolls so that corn ears suitable vertical shafts I2, at their upper ends, may be pinched or snapped from the stalks. l0 carry sprocket wheels I3, around the inner edges Gather chains usually run parallel with the snapof which are respectively trained link-belt type ping rolls at the sides of the passageway to hold chains I4. These chains Il are endless, as and move the stalks with respect to the rolls. shown, and are guided around respective sprocket In some conditions the rolls are too aggressive wheels I and I8. By means o1' the sprocket and damage the butt ends of the ears and cause 16 wheels I3 and I 6, an inner run of each chain I 4 severe shelling of corn. is-caused to move over a respective roll II in .The purpose of this invention is to provide an the manner shown. These chains operate in a improved and simplied corn-snapping mechaplane closely adjacent and above the rolls II. nism. Each chain I4 has each of its links provided with The main object of the invention is to provide 20 laterally projecting fingers I1 of a length sufa novel corn-snapping arrangement for corn harcient to overlap the space between the rolls Il. vesters. These fingers I 1 are closely spaced on each chain, Another object is to combine the function of and, as shown in Figure 1, the opposed runs of carrier chains and snapping means in one mechthe chains over the rolls have their respective anism. fingers alternately disposed to bridge the space Another object is to provide a novel chain between the rolls ata point thereabove. means cooperating with the rolls, the chain means Each nger- I1 provides, near its base line, a serving to snap the ears and also to forward broad area and the side edges of each finger conthe ears to a point of discharge. verge toward the point where they are disposed Other objects will become known as this disover the Space between the rolls. Further, as closure is more fully made. shown in Figure 2, the top side of each iinger These objects are achieved in the illustrative I1 is sloped downwardly, as at I8, so that opposed example of the invention herein disclosed, by nngers on opposite runs of the chains in effect arranging over a pair of stalk pull-down rolls a form a trough. Certain or all of the chain links pair of chains having opposed runs running in addition, at their base ends, may carry upright across the top of the rolls in close proximity wall elements i9 to emphasize the trough arthereto, each chain having inwardly projecting rangement of the chain runs where they oppose fingers which are closely spaced on the chains each other and run along the rolls Il. At oppoand alternately interfit with similar fingers on site sides of the side edges of the chains where the opposed chain means. These fingers thus they run across the rolls, side trough plates 2|) bridge the space between the rolls so that they may be provided if desired. serve to strip ears from stalks held by the rolls In operation, the corn harvester Will travel and extending upwardly therethrough. The along a row of standing stalks so that the stalks chains thus are dual function chains in that they will pass into the passageway I0 and be received act as stalk carriers and ear strippers. They also and held between the lingers I1 on the opposed serve the functions of ear-forwarding chains after chain runs so that these fingers in effect perthe ears are stripped from the stalks. form the function of stalk-carrier chains. Even- In the accompanying drawings: tually, the stalks pass into the -narrow space be- Figure 1 is a general plan view of the improved tween the rolls, which, running oppositely toward structure; one another, grab the stalks and pull them down- AFigure 2 is a general cross-sectional view taken wardly so that any ears thereon will engage the along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the interiitting ends of the fingers l'l which bridge direction of the arrows; and the space between the rolls to cause such ears to Figure 3 is a side view of a length of the chain be stripped from the stalks. The ears then fall means. down and lodge in the trough arrangement 3 formed by the opposed run of the chains by virtue of the slope I8 and with the aid of side plates 20, so that the chains additionally serve the function of an ear-forwarding chain, carrying the ears rearwardly t a point of discharge, it being understood, of course, that the opposed run of the chains above the snapping rolls constantly move only rearwardly. While it is not necessary, nevertheless it is preferable that the opposed runs of the chains over the snapping rolls lie in the same plane.

From this description, it willnow be 'apparent that a simpliiied and improved stalk-handling and ear-snapping arrangement has been provided which achieves the objects of the invention heretofore recited. The fingers Il, since they bridge the space over the rolls, make it impossible for the rolls to engage the ears and damage them.

It is the intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example shown which do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

l. In a corn harvester having a stalk passage formed therein, a pair of longitudinal parallel spaced rolls located in said passage and .rotating in opposite directions to engage and pull stalks downwardly therebetween, endless chainsvrespectively disposed at each side of the passage, each chain having a run running rearwardly over each roll, and closely arranged ngers on each chain extending laterally inwardly over and to bridge the space between the rolls, the fingers on one chain over said space being disposed to interit alternately with the fingers on the opposite run to snap ears from a stalk being pulled downwardly, said fingers being closely spaced to prevent engagement of the ears with the snapping rolls, whereby the chains with their fingers act as a sole means to snap ears from the stalks and to .convey them to a point of discharge.

2.\Ina corn harvester having a stalk passage formed therein, a pair .of longitudinal parallel spaced rolls located in said passage and-rotating in opposite directions to engage and pull stalks downwardly therebetween, endless chains respectively disposed at each side of the passage, each chain having a run running rearwardly over each roll, and closely arranged ngers on each chainY extending laterally inwardly over and to bridge the space between the rolls, the ngers on one chain over said space being disposed to intert alternately with the fingers on the opposite run to snap ears from a stalk being pulled downwardly, said iingers being closely spaced to predownwardly therebetween, endless chains respec-I tively disposed at each side of the passage, each chain having a run running rearwardly over each to snap ears from a stalk being pulled downwardly, said fingers being closely spaced to pre vent engagement of the ears with the snapping rolls, said chain runs lying in the same plane and in close proximity to the rolls, each finger being relatively wide at its base and and having side edges converging toward the free end thereof, whereby the chains with their fingers act as the sole means to snap ears from the stalksand to convey them to a point of discharge.

4. In a corn harvester having a stalk passage formed therein, a pair of longitudinal parallel spaced rolls located in said passage and rotating in opposite directions to engage and pull stalks downwardly therebetween, endless chains respectively disposed at each side of the passage, each chain having a run running rearwardly over each roll, and closely arranged fingers on each chain extending laterally inwardly over and bridging the space between the rolls, the fingers on one chain over said space being disposed to intert alternately with the lingers on the opposite run to snap ears from a stalk pulled downwardly, said fingers being closely spaced to prevent engagement of the ears with the snapping rolls, said chain runs lying in close proximity to the snapping rolls, and each linger having a relatively broad top area and sloping inwardly and downwardly so that the alternate interfltting teeth of the opposite chain runs form a trough to receive snapped ears whereby said chains not only act as ear strippers but as ear conveyors.

5. In a corn harvester having a stalk passage formed therein, a pair of longitudinal parallel spaced rolls located in said passage and rotating in opposite directions to engage and pull stalks downwardly therebetween, endless chains respectively disposed at each side of the passage, each chain having a run running rearwardly over each roll, and closely arranged fingers on each chain extending laterally inwardly over and bridging the space between the rolls, the fingers on one chain over said space being disposed to interfit alternately with the fingers on the opposite run to snap ears from a stalk being pulled downwardly, said lingers being closely, spaced to prel/gi/tengagement of the ears with the snapping rolls, said chain runs lying in close proximityto roll, and closely arranged ngers on each chain the snapping rolls, said chains at their outer edges including raised elements to fo'rm an ear-forwarding trough.

JOHN L. AAsLAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS V Number Name Date 461,246 Meader Oct. 13,' 1891 889,226 Hall June 2, 1908 1,012,938 Umbanhowar Dec. 26, 1911 1,023,320 Kaull Apr. 16, 1912 1,708,327 Riley Apr. 9, 1929 1,734,972 Johnson Nov. 12, 1929 1,800,058 Dugger Apr. 7, 1'931 2,134,867 Fergason Nov. l, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 327,301 Great Britain Apr. 3, 1930 Certificate of .Correction Patent No. 2,480,209 August 30, 1949 JOHN L. AASLAND It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 3, `line 70, for the Words of one read on one; column 4, line 6, for base and read base end;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 7th day of February, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Oommz'ssz'oner of Patents. 

